Principal Perception Lead

Application close date:

Applications will be accepted on an ongoing basis until the requisition is closed.

At Blue Origin, we envision millions of people living and working in space for the benefit of Earth. We’re working to develop reusable, safe, and low-cost space vehicles and systems within a culture of safety, collaboration, and inclusion. Join our team of problem solvers as we add new chapters to the history of spaceflight! 

This role is part of Blue National Security (BNS), where our focus is the design, development, and delivery of launch and spacecraft systems for national security missions. Through Blue Ring, our all-in-one, high-powered hybrid solar-electric and chemical-propelled spacecraft, we provide unmatched mission maneuverability, versatility, and capacity at dramatically lower-profile costs.

Special Mentions

• Location: Denver, CO (primary); Huntsville, AL
• Relocation assistance provided 
• Travel: Up to 25% travel required

About the Role

Blue Origin is seeking a Principal Perception Lead to drive the technical direction of computer vision and sensor fusion algorithm development supporting autonomous navigation, targeting, and situational awareness capabilities for next-generation space systems. As an individual contributor and technical authority, you will define the perception architecture, guide algorithm development, and ensure our autonomous systems can reliably sense, interpret, and respond to complex, dynamic environments — both on-orbit and in support of national security missions.

This is a high-impact, hands-on technical leadership role for an engineer who thrives at the intersection of deep technical expertise and mission-critical influence.

Responsibilities include but are not limited to:

• Lead the design, development, and integration of perception algorithms for autonomous navigation, targeting, and situational awareness systems
• Architect and implement computer vision and sensor fusion pipelines leveraging data from cameras, LIDAR, RADAR, or other onboard sensors
• Define technical strategy and roadmaps for perception subsystems, ensuring alignment with overall vehicle autonomy and mission objectives
• Drive algorithm development for object detection, tracking, classification, and scene understanding in challenging, dynamic, and resource-constrained environments
• Establish and enforce best practices for perception software development, testing, and verification & validation (V&V)
• Collaborate cross-functionally with autonomy, guidance navigation & control (GN&C), avionics, and systems engineering teams to integrate perception capabilities into flight systems
• Support hardware-in-the-loop (HITL) and software-in-the-loop (SITL) testing, as well as field and flight test campaigns, to validate perception algorithm performance
• Mentor and provide technical guidance to junior and mid-level perception engineers, fostering technical growth without formal supervisory responsibility
• Communicate technical findings, risks, and recommendations to program leadership, customers, and stakeholders
• Stay current with state-of-the-art perception, computer vision, and machine learning techniques, and assess their applicability to Blue Origin's mission needs
• Support proposal development, technical reviews, and customer engagements as needed

Minimum Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Electrical Engineering, Robotics, Aerospace Engineering, or a related technical field, or equivalent additional experience in lieu of degree
• 8+ years of professional experience in computer vision, sensor fusion, or perception algorithm development for autonomous systems
• Demonstrated technical leadership experience guiding the perception architecture and algorithm strategy for a program or product, without requiring formal management authority
• Strong proficiency in C++ and/or Python for perception algorithm development
• Hands-on experience with sensor fusion techniques (e.g., Kalman filtering, particle filtering) integrating data from multiple sensor modalities (camera, LIDAR, RADAR, IMU)
• Experience with object detection, tracking, and classification algorithms, including deep learning-based approaches
• Familiarity with real-time or embedded software development constraints
• Strong analytical, problem-solving, and communication skills, with the ability to influence technical direction across teams
• Must be a U.S. citizen or national, U.S. permanent resident (current Green Card holder), or lawfully admitted into the U.S. as a refugee or granted asylum
• Ability to obtain and maintain a U.S. government security clearance, as required by program needs

Preferred Qualifications

• Master's degree or PhD in Computer Science, Robotics, Electrical Engineering, or related field
• Experience developing perception systems for autonomous navigation, rendezvous & proximity operations (RPO), or targeting applications in aerospace, defense, or robotics domains
• Experience with SLAM (Simultaneous Localization and Mapping) techniques
• Familiarity with ROS/ROS2 or similar robotics middleware
• Experience with GPU-accelerated computing (e.g., CUDA) for real-time perception processing
• Prior experience supporting national security or defense-related programs
• Active U.S. government security clearance
• Experience with flight or field-testing of autonomous perception systems
• Publications or patents in computer vision, sensor fusion, or related perception fields

Base Pay Range for:

CO applicants is $173,466.00 - $242,851.35

Other site ranges may differ

Culture Statement

Don’t meet all desired requirements? Studies have shown that some people are less likely to apply to jobs unless they meet every single desired qualification. At Blue Origin, we are dedicated to building an authentic workplace, so if you’re excited about this role but your past experience doesn’t align perfectly with every desired qualification in the job description, we encourage you to apply anyway. You may be just the right candidate for this or other roles.

Export Control Regulations

Applicants for employment at Blue Origin must be a U.S. citizen or national, U.S. permanent resident (i.e. current Green Card holder), or lawfully admitted into the U.S. as a refugee or granted asylum.

Background Check

• Required for all positions: Blue’s Standard Background Check
• Required for Certain Job Profiles:  Defense Biometric Identification System (DBIDS) background check if at any time the role requires one to be on a military installation
• Required for Certain Job Profiles: Drivers who operate Commercial Motor Vehicles with a Gross Vehicle Weight (GVW), Gross Vehicle Weight Rating (GVWR) or combination of power unit and trailer that meets or exceeds 10,001 lbs. and/or transports placardable amounts of hazardous materials by ground in any vehicle on a public road while in commerce, may be subject to additional Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations including: Driver Qualification Files, Medical Certification (obtained before onboarding), Road Test, Hours of Service, Drug and Alcohol Testing, vehicle inspection requirements, CDL requirements (if applicable) and hazardous materials transportation/shipping training.
• Required for certain Job Profiles: Ability to obtain and maintain Merchant Mariner Credential, which includes pre-employment and random drug testing as well as DOT physical

Benefits

• Benefits include:  Medical, dental, vision, basic and supplemental life insurance, paid parental leave, short and long-term disability, 401(k) with a company match of up to 5%, and an Education Support Program.
• Stock Options for all regular employees (working at least 20 hours/week)
• Paid Time Off:  Up to four (4) weeks per year based on weekly scheduled hours, and up to 14 company-paid holidays.
• Dependent on role type and job level, employees may be eligible for benefits and bonuses based on the company's intent to reward individual contributions and enable them to share in the company's results, or other factors at the company's sole discretion. Bonus amounts and eligibility are not guaranteed and subject to change and cancellation. Please check with your recruiter for more details.

Equal Employment Opportunity

Blue Origin is proud to be an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer and is committed to attracting, retaining, and developing a highly qualified and dedicated work force. Blue Origin hires and promotes people on the basis of their qualifications, performance, and abilities. We support the establishment and maintenance of a workplace that fosters trust, equality, and teamwork. We provide all qualified applicants for employment and employees with equal opportunities for hire, promotion, and other terms and conditions of employment, regardless of their race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin/ethnicity, age, physical or mental disability, genetic factors, military/veteran status, or any other status or characteristic protected by federal, state, and/or local law. Blue Origin will consider for employment qualified applicants with criminal histories in a manner consistent with applicable federal, state, and local laws, including the Washington Fair Chance Act, the California Fair Chance Act, the Los Angeles Fair Chance in Hiring Ordinance, and other applicable laws. For more information on “Know Your Rights,” please see here.

Affirmative Action and Disability Accommodation

Applicants wishing to receive information on Blue Origin’s Affirmative Action Plans, or applicants requiring a reasonable accommodation in order to participate in the application and/or interview process, please contact us at [email protected]. Please note this is a publicly managed inbox. Please do not include any personal medical information in your request.